Minor in Chemistry

A chemistry minor often provides sufficient background in the discipline that students may be able to find jobs as chemical technicians after graduation. The minor has only 8 hours of courses that students must take students may choose the remainder of the requirements to best suit their needs.

Requirements:

Introductory Chemistry 8 credit hours

An introduction to chemistry for the science major. First semester topics include atomic and molecular structure, chemical reactions, calculations involving chemical concentrations, gas laws and bonding. Prerequisite: one year of high school chemistry of permission. 3 credits.
A continuation of first semester. Topics include kinetics, acids and bases, equilibrium, oxidation- reduction chemistry, thermodynamics, electro- chemistry and nuclear chemistry. Prerequisite: one year of high school chemistry or permission. 3 credits.
Laboratory course to accompany 111. Experiments cover stoichiometry, gas laws, quantitative analysis, equilibrium, electrochemistry, chemical synthesis and the use of computers for collecting data. Students are introduced to intrumentation including infrared, UV-visible, and atomic absorption spectrometers. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 111. 1 credit.
Laboratory course to accompany CHM 112. Experiments cover stoichiometry, gas laws, quantitative analysis, equilibrium, electro- chemistry, chemical synthesis and the use of computers for collecting data. Students are introduced to instrumentation including infrared, UV-visible, and atomic absorption spectrometers. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 112. 1 credit.
† indicates a required course

Advanced coursework 12 credit hours of lecture courses selected from chemistry or biochemistry courses numbered 200 or higher.

Possibilities (3 hours each):

An introduction to the principles of organic chemistry. The focus of the course is on the structure of organic molecules and how the structure of various functional groups affects their reactivity. The concepts of reactivity, structure and mechanism are applied to organic synthesis. Prerequisite: CHM 112. 3 credits.
A continuation of the first semester. The focus of the course is on the structure of organic molecules and how the structure of various functional groups affects their reactivity. The concepts of reactivity, structure and mechanism are applied to organic systhesis. Prerequisite: CHM 112. 3 credits.
The application of elementary principles of chemistry to provide a basis for understanding the physical and chemical properties of the elements. Topics include periodicity, acidity or basicity of metal cations and oxoanions, precipitation reactions, oxidation-reduction chemistry and the structures of solids. Prerequisite: CHM 112. Writing process. 3 credits.
Topics for this course include statistical methods; activity and activity coefficients; chemical equilibria involving complex systems; volumetric analyses including acid/base, precipitation, redox, and compleximetric tritrations; principles of electrochemistry, potentiometry, alectrogravimetry, coulometry, and voltametry. Prerequisites: CHM 112 and MAS 161. 3 credits.
Basic types of chemical instrumentation and their applications in analytical chemistry are examined. These include gas and liquid chromatography; infrared, UV-VIS, fluorescence, atomic absorption, and plasma emission spectrophotometry; nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry; and radiochemical methods. Prerequisite: CHM 112 and MAS 161. 3 credits.
The study of thermodynamic laws and functions, including phase and reaction equilibria. Systems under study include ideal and real gases, ideal and non-ideal solutions, and multi-component phase transitions. Also included are electrochemistry, kinetic and transport processes, and surfaces. Prereqisite: CHM 112, MAS 162, and PHY 104 or 112. 3 credits.
The study of chemical systems from a molecular perspective. Basic concepts of quantum chemistry and statistical theory applied to atomic and molecular structure. Prerequisite: CHM 311. 3 credits.
A study of bonding theories, molecular structure, spectroscopy and reaction mechanisms with special emphasis on transition metal complexes. Prerequisite: CHM 312. 3 credits.
An application of multivariate sttistics to experimental design and data analysis. Topics include experimental design, pattern recognition, calibration, optimization, signal processing and peak resolution. Some familiarity with computers and chemical instrumentation is recommended. Prerequisite: CHM 112. 3 credits.

Advanced Laboratory 3 credit hours of laboratory courses selected from chemistry or biochemistry courses numbered 200 or higher.

Possibilities (1 hour each):

An introduction to the practice of classical organic chemistry and modern instrumental organic chemistry. The techniques of organic synthesis are taught along with instrumental methods including infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Prerequisite or corequisite:CHM 114 and CHM 213. 1 credit.
A continuation from CHM 215. Introduction to the practice of classical organic chemistry and modern instrumental organic chemistry. The techniques of organic synthesis are taught along with instrumental methods including infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Prerequisite or Corequisite: CHM 214. 1 credit.
Volumetric, spectrophotometric, and electrochemical methods are applied to the analysis of unknowns. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 305. 1 credit.
Chemical instrumentation is utilized in analytical method development and analysis. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 306. 1 credit.
Application of chemical instrumentation to a study of the principles of physical chemistry. Experimental work involves calorimetry, refractometry, conductivity, viscometry and atomic absorption, FTIR, UV-VIS, and NMR spectroscopy applied to the study of phase and reaction equilibria, kinetics, and atomic and molecular structure. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 311. Writing process. 1 credit.
Application of chemical instrumentation to a study of the principles of physical chemistry. Experimental work involves calorimetry, refractometry, conductivity, viscometry and atomic absorption, FTIR, UV-VIS, and NMR spectroscopy applied to the study of phase and reaction equilibria, kinetics, and atomic and molecular structure. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHM 312. Writing process. 1 credit.